TY - JOUR T1 - Hepatitis B Viral Reactivation Secondary to Imatinib Treatment in a Patient with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 3629 LP - 3634 VL - 34 IS - 7 AU - EVAN J. WALKER AU - JEFFRY P. SIMKO AU - ANDREW H. KO Y1 - 2014/07/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/34/7/3629.abstract N2 - Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a known risk in cancer patients receiving cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy; however, the risk associated with newer molecularly-targeted agents has not been well-quantified. Imatinib, a small molecule inhibitor directed against BCR-ABL, CKIT, and other tyrosine kinases, has been associated with HBV reactivation primarily in patients treated for chronic myelogenous leukemia. Herein we present the first reported case of a patient who developed HBV reactivation while receiving imatinib therapy for a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in the adjuvant setting. This eventually resulted in fulminant liver failure and was effectively treated with living-related donor liver transplant and anti-viral medication. Currently, no guidelines exist for HBV screening prior to imatinib therapy. This report emphasizes the need for such guidelines and supports the idea that viral reactivation is a risk in all imatinib-treated patients, regardless of the underlying disease. ER -